Godan verbs are the most common verb type in Japanese. Their conjugation boils down to one idea: the last kana switches between the five vowel rows (あ, い, う, え, お). That's why they're called "five-row" (五段) verbs.
Stem and Ending
Two key terms:
- Stem (語幹): the kanji part — never changes
- Ending (語尾): the last kana — changes with conjugation
| Verb | Stem | Ending |
|---|---|---|
| 読む | 読 | む |
| 書く | 書 | く |
| 話す | 話 | す |
Only the ending moves; the stem stays put.
The Six Forms at a Glance
Using 読む as an example:
| Form | Name | Ending change | Attaches to | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Irrealis (未然形) | む → ま | + ない (negative) | 読まない |
| 2nd | Continuative (連用形) | む → み | + ます (polite) | 読みます |
| 3rd | Terminal (終止形) | む (no change) | end of sentence | 読む |
| 4th | Attributive (連体形) | む (no change) | + noun | 読む本 |
| 5th | Hypothetical (仮定形) | む → め | + ば (conditional) | 読めば |
| 6th | Imperative (命令形) | む → め | nothing needed | 読め |
The 3rd and 4th forms look identical — this is true for all Japanese verbs, not just godan. They serve different functions (ending a sentence vs. modifying a noun) but share the same shape.
The Core Logic
The last kana belongs to a particular consonant row. Conjugation simply moves it through the five vowel columns of that row:
| Dictionary ending | 1st (あ) | 2nd (い) | 3rd/4th (う) | 5th (え) | 6th (え) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| む | ま | み | む | め | め |
| く | か | き | く | け | け |
| す | さ | し | す | せ | せ |
| う | わ* | い | う | え | え |
| つ | た | ち | つ | て | て |
| る | ら | り | る | れ | れ |
| ぶ | ば | び | ぶ | べ | べ |
| ぐ | が | ぎ | ぐ | げ | げ |
| ぬ | な | に | ぬ | ね | ね |
*Special case: verbs ending in う use わ (not あ) for the 1st form. E.g., 会う → 会わない (not 会あない).
Form-by-Form Breakdown
1st Form: Irrealis (あ-row) → attach ない
Use: negation — "don't / won't do..."
Change the ending to the あ-row, then add ない.
| Verb | Change | Negative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 読む | む→ま | 読まない | don't read |
| 書く | く→か | 書かない | don't write |
| 話す | す→さ | 話さない | don't speak |
| 会う | う→わ | 会わない | don't meet |
2nd Form: Continuative (い-row) → attach ます, たい
Use: polite form, "want to do," etc.
Change the ending to the い-row.
| Verb | Change | Polite form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 読む | む→み | 読みます | read (polite) |
| 書く | く→き | 書きます | write (polite) |
| 話す | す→し | 話します | speak (polite) |
3rd/4th Forms: Terminal / Attributive (う-row)
The dictionary form itself. The 3rd form ends a sentence; the 4th form modifies a noun.
| Usage | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal | 本を読む。 | I read books. |
| Attributive | 読む本 | the book (I) read |
5th Form: Hypothetical (え-row) → attach ば
Use: conditional — "if..."
Change the ending to the え-row, then add ば.
| Verb | Change | Conditional | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 読む | む→め | 読めば | if (one) reads |
| 書く | く→け | 書けば | if (one) writes |
6th Form: Imperative (え-row)
Use: commands — "Do it!"
Change the ending to the え-row. No suffix needed.
| Verb | Change | Imperative | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 読む | む→め | 読め | Read! |
| 書く | く→け | 書け | Write! |
| 話す | す→せ | 話せ | Speak! |
Both the 5th and 6th forms use the え-row, but the 5th adds ば while the 6th stands alone.
The Volitional: A Hidden 7th Form
Beyond the six basic forms, godan verbs have a volitional (意量形) meaning "let's do..." or "I'll do...":
Change the ending to the お-row, then add う.
| Verb | Change | Volitional | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 読む | む→も | 読もう | let's read |
| 書く | く→こ | 書こう | let's write |
Special Case: ある
The godan verb ある (to exist/have) has one unique rule:
Normally, ある + ない should be あらない. But in actual usage, ある + ない collapses entirely into just ない.
| Verb | Expected | Actual |
|---|---|---|
| ある | あらない | ない |
So: "there is" = ある, "there isn't" = ない. This is the only verb that works this way.
Full Conjugation Chart: 書く
All forms of 書く in one table:
| Form | く → | Suffix | Complete |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1st (negative) | か | + ない | 書かない |
| 1st (volitional) | こ | + う | 書こう |
| 2nd (polite) | き | + ます | 書きます |
| 3rd (terminal) | く | — | 書く |
| 4th (attributive) | く | + noun | 書く本 |
| 5th (hypothetical) | け | + ば | 書けば |
| 6th (imperative) | け | — | 書け |
The pattern is clear: か→き→く→く→け→け — just walking through the vowel rows.
Summary
- Godan conjugation = the last kana switches between the あ~お rows
- The stem never changes; only the ending moves
- 1st form (あ-row) + ない; 2nd form (い-row) + ます
- 3rd and 4th forms are identical (dictionary form)
- 5th form (え-row) + ば; 6th form (え-row) = imperative
- Volitional uses お-row + う
- ある negates to ない (not あらない)
Practice Questions
Q1. Conjugate 話す into the negative (ない form).
Show answer
話さない
話す: ending す changes to あ-row さ, then add ない → 話さない (don't speak).
Q2. What is the ます form of 会う?
Show answer
会います
会う: ending う changes to い-row い, then add ます → 会います. (Note: not 会あます.)
Q3. Write all six ending changes for 飲む.
Show answer
| Form | Ending |
|---|---|
| 1st (あ-row) | ま |
| 2nd (い-row) | み |
| 3rd (う-row) | む |
| 4th (う-row) | む |
| 5th (え-row) | め |
| 6th (え-row) | め |
ま→み→む→む→め→め — walking through the ま-row vowels.